I'll Never Leave Again
by krumfan
Summary: RT. After the funeral Tonks and Remus start to define their new relationship. Can things progress smoothly after a year full of hurt and pain? ONESHOT. R & R


**Disclaimer: You know I'm not JKR, I know I'm not JKR….Do we really have to go through this?**

_**A/n:** In many stories…Tonks just falls into Remus' arms when they become a couple. Somehow I don't think it happens like that. I think the pain and the hurt will be hard to dissolve. I think Remus has to make amends – big time! Well, my fic doesn't **really** convey my ideas…but…I do try. Enjoy!_

A pink haired Auror and an older lanky werewolf walked silently through the front gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All around them, various other people were Apparating away.

Nymphadora Tonks impatiently brushed a lock of pink hair out of her eyes. "What now?" she asked her partner.

Remus, still in awe that this vibrant young witch would choose to love him, shrugged. "I suppose we need to get a new Secret-Keeper for…." He stopped mid sentence because Tonks had put her hand across his mouth.

"No, I mean where will you and I go now?"

"Oh, umm, well, I lost possession of my flat. When I lived with the werewolves, I really didn't need it."

Remus' heart filled with compassion as he saw a flash of pain flicker behind Tonks' eyes. Just the mention his time underground made her heart ache as she remembered the pain of the preceding year. He silently vowed to make the most of their time together, spending the rest of his natural life – however long it proved to be – making up for all the heartache he had put her through. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of Tonks' slightly upturned nose. Then, he moved the kiss to her willing mouth.

Just as quickly as the pain came, it left. Tonks said, with a tremendous smile across her face, "My place then? You remember where it is?"

Remus nodded, remembering the many nights he would walk her to her flat before he went to live with the werewolves. Before Sirius died. Before he knew that she loved him too.

"Last one there is a rotten egg!" she cried, before Apparating with a squeaky pop.

"What took you so long?" Remus asked as he casually leaned against Tonks' flat door.

"How did you – I just – but I Apparated first! You cheated!" Tonks declared.

Remus chuckled at her befuddlement.

"Oh, come on, Remus," Tonks begged. She opened her door. After Remus' entry, she recast the wards. "You really won't tell me?"

"Nope! Marauder's secret," Remus replied as he gazed around her flat. "Nymph, you've been cleaning?"

Tonks blushed. "Well, I only clean when I'm depressed, and umm, circumstances of the past few months have made me very tidy indeed. Tea?"

Remus was glad for her sudden change in topic. "Yes, please." As Tonks headed toward her tiny kitchen, Remus moved to follow her. "Let me help you."

"No. I may not be the perfect daughter my mother wanted, but one thing I learned from her is how to treat guests! Go to the living room. I even have a telly. Grandma Tonks gave me when I first moved in. You know how to work one right?"

Remus returned to the living room and relaxed on Tonks' saggy bright vermillion red couch. "Yes," he answered her. "My mother was Muggleborn, so I'm familiar with Muggle contraptions. Haven't had to use them much though."

While Remus familiarized himself with the remote control, Tonks reentered the living room levitating a tray of tea and biscuits in front of her. She smiled brightly when she set it on her coffee table without incident.

Only spilling once, Tonks poured Remus and herself a cup of tea. "What are you watching?" Tonks asked as she snuggled in Remus' arms with her cup of tea.

"Some daft American show about eating pigs' guts," Remus said with a grimace on his face.

Tonks became entranced with the show and did not notice that Remus had stopped watching it completely, and had started at stare at her.

Remus' eyes raked from the spiked pink tip of her hair, to her angelic heart-faced shaped, her full pouty lips, her soft heaving bosom…..He shook his head; his thoughts were really getting away from him.

"_Get a grip,"_ he silently admonished himself._ "You've been out of school for years; you are no longer a teenaged boy. You can lie here with Tonks in your arms without being a randy git!"_

At that point, Tonks laughed uproariously at some bloke who just got in a coffin full of rats, and her breasts jiggled slightly.

"_Is she wearing a bra?"_ Remus wondered. To answer his silent question, he slowly traced a finger from her shoulder to her hips and back again. "_No, she isn't," _Remus gulped. How was he going to properly develop a relationship with Tonks when he had to fight himself constantly not to throw her down and shag her senseless?

Tonks laughter died as she felt Remus calloused hand trace her spinal cord. She wiggled in his arms to find a more comfortable position, sighing in contentment when she did. Remus forced his body not to react to the lithe wiggling body against his chest, but it was difficult. Considering how it relaxed her, he continued to rub her back, though he still wanted to ravish her.

Seeing that Tonks' eyes were closed, and her breathing was deep and rhythmic, Remus figured that she was asleep. He changed the channel on the telly until he found the Muggle news, all the while still rubbing Tonks' back. Remus searched the news for evidence of Voldemort's wrath.

After an half an hour, Remus' tea was cold, his eyes were watering from watching the synthetic screen, and his legs were numb. He trailed his fingers along Tonks' spine, and she practically purred in her slumber.

Deciding that she probably wasn't comfortable on the couch, Remus took Tonks in his arms and walked down the narrow corridor to her bedroom. Tonks slept throughout, as he laid her on her bed, removed her shoes, and tucked her in. Brushing back a soft lock of pink hair, Remus kissed her forehead and silently left the room.

Just as Remus resettle himself on the couch again and picked up the remote control, he heard a soft cry from the bedroom, "Remus?"

Hearing the panic in her voice, Remus rushed to the bedroom, stumping his toe on the couch and knocking his elbow in the corridor.

"What is it, Nymph? Are you okay? Having a bad dream?"

Remus cradled Tonks in his arms as tears streamed down her face.

"No, it's just that….I woke up, and you weren't here. And I thought you left me again. You left so many times. So many times," Tonks cried. "Please don't leave me Remus, please. I'll do anything for you. I love you!"

Remus scolded himself again for causing Nymphadora pain. _God, what have I done?_

"My beloved one, I promise, I won't ever leave you again. Ever. I love you; you are my soul mate. I'm so sorry I made you cry. I wish I can kiss away all your tears and pain."

Remus, who was sitting on the edge on the bed, with Tonks cradled in his arms, stretched out his six foot frame to fit beside her. Then, he took her face in his hands and proceeded to kiss every one of her tears.

"Nymph, I want to make love to you."

Tonks' smile was the only other incentive he needed.

In a whisper of zips and giggles, they removed each other's clothing. Remus worshipped Tonks' body with his hands, lips, and tongue. Every touch and caress was a vow of love and held promises of tomorrow.

"Nymphadora, I'll never leave again." With this solemn declaration, Remus filled Tonks' body with his essence.

Soon, and with a loud cry, Tonks reached her peak. Remus looked in her eyes, entranced by the transitioning kaleidoscope of color in her eyes. The love that was reflected in them caused him to lose control and he came, gasping her name. He cradled her in his arms as they enjoyed the sweet afterglow of lovemaking.

Secure in his arms, Nymphadora soon fell asleep again. Remus was still holding her in his arms when she woke in the morning.


End file.
